From what I have seen there must be at least 10 visitors a day on this site (more than than during the dry season when I was there). The idea would be to ask every birder $5 per day, maybe $10 or $20 for longer periods, maybe try to have some funding events to start the organization, access to the site, etc.This money would be offered to local farmers as a salary to keep the habitat as it is, maybe even create more favorable conditions for the birds ? For salt exploitation, most pans are not at the ideal level for birds, so farmers could get paid to keep the terrain in good conditions, and salt production would become optional, if enough visitors could finance the site. Some hides and specific amenities could be added to entice more birders and photographers to come...This is just an idea to be further investigated. I don't speak Thai, live in Europe, so I'm unable to do much more than this article.If the number of visitors is sufficient, and someone is ready to put this together, someone with enough time and diplomacy to have good communications with farmers and officials, this could be worth a try ?Note that this could aslo be done in Pak Thale, which is even more famous for its shore birds, and where the BCST has placed some panels.Our own position is that the solar farm could be build, if it doesn't have too much negative effects on the site : after visiting the site, it was clear that it's whole surface was not used by birds anyway, meaning that part of it - say 25% - could well be dedicated to a solar farm, provided that the rest is maintained...Update I : I e-mailed some people in Thailand about this idea, and the first element is that there may be some limits to the activities that farmers are allowed to do on this land. Just flooding the area dedicated to birds could maybe not be possible... although supporting these farmers with the money collected to maintain their activity should be fine.Update II : Apparently the project has been paused while discussions on moving the 700-hectare solar farm continue between conservation groups and the government. While part of the salt pan has already been bulldozed over, it could be rebuilt. [2].Update III : now it's Pak Thale that is under threat ! Owner trying to sell (parts of) it !!!Anyone want to buy a Spoon-billed Sandpiper wintering site? Pak Thale salt pans #Thailand for sale - VERY worrying. pic.twitter.com/ymCIhLl6KX
&mdash ; Nick Upton (@thaibirding) 21 novembre 2016
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